


Forgive and Forget

by TheMockingJ3



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: "Raymond... How do you apologise to someone you've held captive for months and months?", Gen, Referenced Kidnapping, Some trauma as a result of Spectre's Call, Spectre's Call spoilers, Uploaded from my old account with edits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25527238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMockingJ3/pseuds/TheMockingJ3
Summary: "With time, I can forgive him... but I will never forget what he has done to me, my family and Misthallery."
Relationships: Brenda Triton & Jean Descole, Brenda Triton/Clark Triton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Forgive and Forget

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: For Spectre's Call and maybe some implications for Azran Legacy. (Descole isn't a complete sadist- what a shock?!)
> 
> Set: After PL4. 
> 
> Warnings: Referenced kidnapping and trauma because... Brenda (and Doland) spent like three months tops in a cellar. That's going to leave a few scars. Also, d'you ever wonder if Brenda was the one who really wanted her family to move to America?

The nightmares still plague me whenever I close my eyes.

Visions of a man who had looked, sounded and acted exactly like Doland. But this wasn't my family's faithful butler.

If you listened closely, as I had, you could hear the cold edge beneath his voice. By delving deeper, one could detect the cunning glint in his gaze and realise there was a calculated reason behind his every action.

I had occasionally caught flashes of his temper when he was talking to Clark, or when he was grumbling about Beth. 

The last straw was when he _shouted_ at Luke for bringing mice into the kitchen. Doland didn’t shout, least of all at Luke.

Something was very wrong with Doland.

The imposter immediately knew when _I_ knew his secret. One step ahead, he captured me before I could inform Clark or anyone else of my concerns.

At first, Clark thought I had left Misthallery. True, I enjoyed travelling, and the relationship between Clark and I had been quite... strained during those stressful times with the spectre attacks. But I would never abandon he or Luke, not even if my life depended on it.

I was locked in the cellar, and to my relief that was where he'd placed the real Doland, restrained but unharmed. It was a minor comfort not being alone in the darkness.

We were fed the tiniest morsels; enough that our bodies remained weak, but barely keeping us alive. How long would this go on till our captor decided to let us starve to death? Or perhaps he would find a quicker way to dispose of us.

Do you know what it's like to be a prisoner within your own home, powerless as the monster prowls amongst the people you love?

I knew Clark would suspect something eventually, but Luke was completely unaware. Horrible images still haunt me; my son lying helpless in bed as the monster approaches him, lethal weapon in hand... Clark caught in a surprise attack while working in his study... All the not-Doland had to do was slip something into their food, and it would be the end.

Thank goodness Luke wrote that letter to Hershel. If our old friend hadn't come to Misthallery sooner... I can't bear to wonder what that villain would have done—

_CRASH!_

I awake from my most recent nightmare with a startled yelp. I'm _not_ in the cellar; it's been months since that terrifying ordeal. I'm actually sitting up in bed, quivering and drenched with sweat. Clark is beside me, alert and murmuring:

"That sounded like one of the windows. It might be a burglar. Stay here, Brenda. I'm going down to help Doland investigate."

My first instinct is to check on Luke, but then I remember he’s staying with Hershel.

"Be careful, Clark," I whisper. He nods, embraces me quickly, and hurries downstairs.

Wrapping the covers tightly around me, I wait as the minutes tick by. What’s taking them so long? I doubt it really is a burglar— it’s probably just a cat or a bird…

There’s yelling— first from Doland and then from Clark. This is followed by a series of coughing.

"C-Clark? Doland...?" I call in alarm. Silence is my only reply.

Before I can rush downstairs, the bedroom door opens. My eyes widen, distinguishing the tall silhouette that slips through the darkness like a phantom of the night. A frightened breath escapes my lips, despite the fierce urge to remain inconspicuous.

It doesn't matter— the intruder already knows that I’m here.

The figure turns to me; however, I can’t see its eyes as they are concealed by a... _a white mask_. I grip the bed sheets and start shaking again.

Clark had described the masked man who tried to destroy Misthallery after Hershel exposed his disguise. This villain has returned to take his revenge on us. Once again, I'm so relieved that Luke currently isn’t in the house.

"Ah, there you are."

 _That voice._ The familiar icy tone sends shivers shooting down my spine, paralysing me as he stalks towards the bed.

"W-what have you done to Clark and Doland?" I stammer.

He’s close enough now that I can see his mouth curl into a smirk. "I simply activated a smoke bomb that left them unconscious. They shouldn't interrupt us."

Clark and Doland _(please let them be alright)_ can't help me now. I look around the room for something to defend myself with. Almost every surface is covered with souvenirs I've collected over the years. Clark and Luke have never entirely understood my obsession…

To my great surprise, the villain pulls something out of his cape and drops it into my hand. My fingers clutch... _an envelope_?

"What's this...?" I inquire suspiciously.

"It's a letter, obviously.”

"About _what_?"

"My, you ask far too many questions. It is a letter...of apology.” He struggles to say that word. His tone softens ever so slightly. "Hopefully you won't have trouble reading it…”

I peer up at him in shock. "But why are you giving it to me?"

The venom returns to his voice. "Well, I couldn't leave it lying around the house where your nitwit husband would find it."

 _“Shut up,”_ I snap, sitting up straighter to glare at him. This man can’t hold a candle to Clark. "If it's so important, why couldn't you just use another disguise and _hand_ the letter to me?"

He growls in frustration and mutters something under his breath.

" _Why?"_ I repeat. "Can't you tell me?"

"Because _,_ you _intrusive, irritating woman_ ," he snarls. "I WANTED TO GVE IT TO YOU _IN PERSON!"_

My jaw drops open. He whirls around in a furious huff to make his exit.

"If you truly regret what you've done, look me dead in the eyes and _say_ you're sorry."

He stops, stunned by my commanding tone, and faces me once more. Then, he slowly raises his hand; his fingers brush the edge of his white mask.

"No..." he says eventually, smiling a little. He lowers his hand. "I will not grant you the privilege of witnessing my true face."

The fact that he hesitated… Is that proof that he’s _changed_ since our last encounter?

I sigh. “Please, just leave."

"Will you ever forgive me?" Beneath that cold, cruel exterior, I sense something else in his voice.

Could it be the desire to redeem and move on from his mistakes...? Or maybe it's just me, searching for humanity that doesn't exist in this monster's black heart.

"I— I don't know," I answer. "Perhaps I'll be able to... one day."

"Only the weak can never forgive," he proclaims. "And you are certainly not weak." With that, he leaves me alone.

Several minutes later, Clark and Doland stagger upstairs. Both of them are fine, if a bit shaken.

After fretting over me, Clark explains that when they went to investigate the broken window, a small explosion went off. Nothing was stolen while the two of them were knocked out. Exhausted, he decides to check the window again properly in the morning, and he falls asleep.

I don't show Clark the letter. It remains unopened, safely in the drawer at my bedside. I'm not ready to read it yet.

With time, I believe that I can forgive the masked man... but I will _never_ forget what he has done to me, my family and Misthallery.


End file.
